North Fork Hamptons Vacation part 1

This was our third trip to the Long Island North Fork, also known as Long Island Wine Country. There are over 60 wineries in this beautiful, bucolic region, and as of now my husband and I have been to more than half of them. The North Fork looks very much like our area of Bucks County, PA except it's surrounded by water and a multitude of little coves and inlets and incredible stone and sand beaches (it's hard not to pick up too many beautiful multicolored stones). It is also the perfect Maritime climate for all those delicious wines!

We stayed at our favorite (and we think the best!) bed and breakfast, By The Bluff (I've mentioned it before), located on a quiet, tree-lined street in East Marion, New York - only a few hundred yards from the beach and just minutes from the town center of Greenport where you can find shops, restaurants, and ferries to the Hamptons. This was our third time at By The Bluff, and it's beginning to feel like visiting old friends. The inn-keepers Patricia and Morris, are wonderful hosts and make you feel like part of their family. Patricia is a retired NYC police officer and Morris was previously in the construction business - in fact he built this beautiful Victorian-style house himself. Upon arrival, we  were greeted warmly by  Pat and Morris and their two dogs, Daisy and McDuff ( a new addition to the family). The inn  common rooms, breakfast room,and the bedrooms are and elegantly furnished yet cozy and comfortable . Morris is the chief cook and always prepares a delicious and hearty gourmet breakfast, like spinach frittata, french toast, and various egg creations. You won't go hungry here!

 

This beautiful beach is just a short walk from the inn.

The first stop on our trip was to the LiV (pronounced live) vodka distillery for a vodka tasting. Surrounded by thousands of acres of potato farms, the LiV distillery is located "in the heart of the acclaimed Long Island wine region." I rarely drink vodka straight, but this liquor is surprisingly smooth and goes down easy. Distinct vanilla flavors and a creamy finish set this Ultra Premium vodka apart from any other I've tried. They paired our shots with local North Fork brand potato chips - an unlikely but pleasing combination, with the saltiness of the chip complimenting the mellowness of the vodka. LiV's goal is perfection. It is made in small batches, using only domestically produced potatoes instead of corn, wheat, or rye - which are used to make about 98% of all other vodkas. There are over 25 lbs. of potatoes in just one liter of LiV vodka! I can't wait to make my first martini with this stuff. LiV also makes  unique, potato-based liqueurs they call Sorbetta. We tried each flavor: strawberry, orange, and lemon (which tasted a lot like Limoncello). Each flavor was distinct, They are made by using hand peeled macerated fresh fruits combined with pure cane sugar and boy were they strong! They are located at 182 Sound Ave, Bating Hollow, NY

Next up was Roanoke Vineyards in Riverhead, NY, on the same road as LiV distillery. We did a white wine tasting flight, then a red wine tasting flight, featuring their own wines and a few from their friends at Wolffer Estate in Southampton. The white included:
2009 Roanoke De Rosa Rose - "luscious grapefruit, strawberry, and raspberries"  (really delicious. we bought several bottles)
2008 Roanoke Chardonnay - "crisp and vibrant, with a suggestion of fresh lemon"
2007 Wolffer Estate Perle Chardonnay- "bold fruit, with notes of pear, apricot, and melon"
2008 Wolffer Estate Diosa Late Harvest - "delicious fig and lime flavors with vanilla" (this was my favorite, and reminded me of butterscotch)

The red flight: * Long Island red wines are actually very good ,fairly full bodied and with lush fruity flavors The terroir of Long Island has a micro climate that is almost an exact replica of Bordeaux France!
2007 Roanoke Cabernet Franc - "big black cherry flavors"
2008 Roanoke Marco Tulio - "rich fruit [with] a long vanilla finish"
2006 - Roanoke Blend 2 - "39% cabernet sauvignon, 31% cab franc, and 30% merlot"
2006  Roanoke Blend One - "exotic plum and chocolate flavors"